[meteorite-list] An Imaginary Letter to Kevin Kichinka from Meteorite Publisher Derek Sears
From: Michael Farmer <mike_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2012 09:18:52 -0700 Message-ID: <25FB59C1-352B-448D-A07A-A1598FF29C5D_at_meteoriteguy.com> wow, you have gone off the rails...... Michael Farmer Sent from my iPad On Jul 13, 2012, at 9:08 AM, Kevin Kichinka <marsrox at gmail.com> wrote: > "Kevin, > > In regards to your concerns that I have chosen to not run your latest > contribution, the conclusion to "The Rise of the Raj and the Fall of > Shergotty" in the August issue of Meteorite, although as you claim > 'our' subscribers expect to see it and should not be disappointed, let > me clarify some things. > > First, quit calling them 'our subscribers' even though I did put you > on the Board of Editors after you declined, then asked you to write me > a business plan for the magazine, which I ignored. They are mine. It's > all mine. OK? > > I know you feel uncomfortable that I didn't thank you or even > acknowledge that you sent the conclusion to the Shergotty feature in > early. > > I know that some think it unreasonable that when they received the > August proof of the issue to review for errors on a Saturday at 10pm, > I only allowed a 48 hour turnaround (or else!) meaning they worked for > me on a Sunday. That's how it is, kind of like you are all my > employees and owe me overtime. As I like to say, I have twice as many > writers as I can use anyway, i.e. you are all expendable. > > And after I recklessly marked up your story, creating at least ten > 'unforced' errors, like changing the year of the Shergotty fall and > crediting an English official for recovering it instead of the Indian > farmer, or inventing a new God for Dorothy Norton's illustration, or > taking a sentence fragment from the middle of a paragraph and making > it a new title though it lacks any meaning, that's my right, it's my > magazine. If I want to change your title, too, I change your title, > deal with it. > > And when you whine you spent 400 to 500 hours to research and write > this story that you give me for free, well, learn to write faster. > > Why did I shorten and re-write your 'heartfelt thanks' to Joel Schiff > and Dorothy Norton that you added at the end of the story? You took up > too much space. And if I cared about Joel, I would have mentioned my > new edits to what he had already edited when I emailed him last > weekend. It's not his business anymore. > > And if I cared about Dorothy Norton, I wouldn't have misspelled her > name, another 'correction/'edit' you think I should make. Have you > noticed I have never thanked her for anything? Just because she is > dear friends with Joel from Day One of Meteorite and is one of the > journals most important contributors, and just because she was married > to Richard Norton, does it seem I care? > > And as for deleting your bio at the end of the feature to this > 'contribution' while running all twelve other contributors bios, so? > And your offering to still keep your bio out to make space for your > thanks to Joel and Dorothy"? How precious. > > And when you want me to correct these 'typos', as you tried to fool me > into thinking by writing they were "probably created by computer > software in the translation from my Adobe doc", read again my email, > "I am very sorry that you feel this way. Given that these are your > feelings, and your inability to accept our editorial decisions, can I > assume you want to withdraw the paper?' > > That's my plan. Let people know that (try this on for size) "sadly and > regrettably, Kichinka would not accept our usual edits to his fine > article. It is in the best interests of the readers of Meteorite that > they never see this featrue". > > Sad. Regretable. Gotcha! Haha :>) > > Kevin, I am one of those old-time researchers that believe meteorites > should only be possessed by us smart people, and you unwashed masses > of dealers, collectors, hunters and general public need to go away. > I'm not unreasonable, let's compromise. They all should learn to > respect us scientists and send their praise. I like if they send me > money for magazine subscriptions and send me papers I can publish for > free. That's cool! I know people like to see their names in print so I > leverage that to my own advantage and profit. > > And because I'm me, I get to ride blimps in the sky on the public dime > to look for pea-sized meteorites in the tall grasses of California. Do > you? > > Why would I publish your 'circumstances of the fall of Shergotty' when > no one else has done it in 147 years? Why are you so special that you > should get this honor? Aren't you content with your discovery that no > dog could have been killed by Nakhla, or discovering that Nakhla's TKW > is less than 10kg and not 40, or that the Widmanstatten Pattern is > mis-named? You are very selfish. > > And don't tell me my wonderful 'edits' are necessary because Joel > Schiff had previously edited your Shergotty feature. I did what I > thought 'made it better', and if you don't like my changes, well, as I > also wrote, we can "leisurely discuss these changes and your feature > for possible use in a future issue. Unfortunately, the November issue > is already full." Oh well. Maybe the readers don't care. I don't. > > And when you offered to call me from Costa Rica to discuss this at a > time convenient to me on your dime? I'm BUSY! > > Maybe in my next letter, assuming you are so dense you don't get my > message here, I'll write you about some past history of Meteorite > magazine and how I treated those people. Fear the Sears. > > In closing, I hope this helps you understand why I won't be running > the story. Now shut up and go away. > > Best wishes. > > Derek Sears" > ______________________________________________ > > Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list Received on Fri 13 Jul 2012 12:18:52 PM PDT |
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